different heart
by irosnea55
Summary: Tom's mom has a new boyfriend who happens to look a lot like his dad
1. Chapter 1

**A short fanfiction that's rather depressing and dramatic...its what I do best. haha.**

 **Hope you'll like :)**

Chapter ONE

His mom was in a relationship with someone new but the details about him were vague. All his mom told him was, his name was Michael, he worked in a bookstore and 'was an amazing guy'.

"If he's so amazing, why is she putting me off from meeting him?" he told Doug in exasperation. "It's been almost a month since they dated!"

"Maybe because you gave her ex boyfriend a bit of a hard time."

He was silent for a moment as he thought back. Seven months ago, his mom dated a car salesman named Bob. He was unhappy because he was the first guy she dated since his dad died six years ago. He couldn't understand what his mom saw in Bob because he was nothing like his father. He had blue eyes - his father's was brown. He had blond hair - his fathers was brown. The only thing they had in common was their height of six feet tall. His mom tried to make them bond over a game of bowling but instead, he interrogated him about his character and his intentions. Not long after, they broke up.

"They broke up right after she made you go bowling with him," Doug continued. "I don't know what you said or did but I imagine it wasn't pleasant."

"I only asked how many times he had been married and what plans he had with my mom!" he declared. "And besides, my mom told me she broke up with him because he was bad in bed."

Doug threw his head back in surprise. "What the - you didn't tell me that!"

He laughed awkwardly. "I thought I did..."

"Nope."

"Well, when she told me, I was mortified and said I didn't want to hear all the details. And you know what she said? Jee, I didn't know you could be so screamish!"

Doug laughed. "Your mom's amazing."

"So was my dad," he smiled. "I always thought while growing up, how lucky I was to have such wonderful parents. They never fought with each other and was always there for me..." his voice trailed off when his chest tightened with grief. The pain of losing his father was always there, hiding in the back of his heart. And whenever he thought about him, it hurt.

His father died on Valentines Day when he was sixteen. He was supposed to pick him up with his date after a school dance. But the second he realised he was late, the second he realized something happened to him...something bad. His dad was never late for anything - not his birthdays, not his school events and never late home despite how hectic his job was.

They say his father died a hero because he took the bullet to save somebody else.

But the thing was, no one knew what went down inside that cafe when he was off duty. Three dead bodies were found that night - his dad, his work partner and the employee of the cafe. There were no witnesses and they never caught the guy who murdered him and probably never would. And he would have to live with that harsh reality everyday.

He was left with his father's 1968 blue mustang and to this day, he never went anywhere without it. His dad loved that car and he vowed to take care of it no matter what. He also had one photo of his dad. There were hundreds more but they were in his mothers closet. She was rather protective over them and refused to let him have them. He didn't mind too much because it only made him feel sad, seeing all those memories play behind the frozen images like a video tape.

He also had a couple of recorded phone messages of his dad's voice and there was one that stuck out the most. He was fifteen years old when his dad called him home.

 _"Howdy sport, mom home?"_

 _"No, she had to see my school principal."_

 _"...Why?"_

 _"I got in a fight with some kid..."_

 _"Aw Tommy, not again,"_ his father said unhappily. _"We talked about this."_

 _"But he said you were a facist old pig! I got mad and pushed him over. But I only pushed him over dad and that was it!"_

 _"I don't care what he said or did. Violence isn't the answer. There's already enough in this world."_

 _"I'm sorry dad,"_ he said guiltily.

 _"We'll talk about this when I get home."_

Back then, kids gave him a hard time at school because they knew what his father did for a living. He was managed to get through it over the years but when he hit fifteen, he couldn't boil down his anger any more and got into a lot of fights. Soon after that phone message, he stopped because he didn't want his father disappointed in him anymore.

When he got home that day, he replayed the message.

 _"Howdy sport - "_

And paused.

His dad used to call him sport a lot. He missed it... When other people called him sport, he would freak out because only his dad was allowed to call him that. No one ever understood why.

When he first began at Jump Street, he had a Captain named Richard Jenco (who sadly passed away in a road accident just a few months after) and he would call him sport a lot. On his first case in a high school, he had to go to a meeting at the principal's office with Jenco to discuss his behavioral problems - which was only a cover used in order to get close to a suspect who was a violent, hard nosed guy. It was strange having Jenco pretend to be his father in the meeting and when he called him sport yet again, he freaked. "Don't call me sport okay, I hate that!"

"I don't mean it as in insult!" Jenko shot back.

When they left the principals office he asked him why it bothered him so much.

"My dad used to call me that."

He never called him sport again because he already knew his father passed. Lots of people did in fact because his father left a mark on everyone he'd ever come across because of his big heart and passion in his work.

He always wanted to be a police officer like him and after he died, he become one to make him proud. He had Jump Street, but to most departments, they were a joke because most of their work involved working undercover in high schools as students. He still enjoyed his job though because he faced many challenges. He made friends with his co-workers and got a best friend out of it - Doug Penhall.

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A week after, he was finally going to meet his mom's new boyfriend. They planned to bond over a picnic in a local park.

"I'm finally meeting this Michael guy," he announced to Doug.

"That's great." Doug smiled. "But don't be too hard on him, okay?"

Did he plan to? He didn't know. He was just relieved he was going to finally meet the guy. And whatever happens face to face, the reactions would come after.

He made his way to the park straight after work. It was a nice day; the sun was popped out and the sky was pastel blue.

He found his mom sitting alone on a blanket with a picnic basket by her side. She was staring out at the boating lake and even though he was quite a distance from her, he could see a sense of tranquility surrounding her features. He couldn't see Michael which was a relief because he wanted to see his mother alone first.

"Hey mom, you okay?" he greeted.

"I'm fine," she smiled. She patted the blanket. "Have a sit down."

He gingerly sat down in a cross-legged position. "Where's Michael?"

"That's what I want to tell you about."

He huffed in annoyance. "Don't tell me I'm not meet him after all!"

"No, you are," she said seriously. "There's just something I need to warn you about."

His mind sparked with paranoia. _Is there something wrong with him? Does he know him? Is he married with children?_

Before she opened her mouth to explain, a shadow fell over him. And his mom's face become anxious. When he turned around, he got the shock of his life.

 _Dad_?

 _It can't be...he's dead!_

He had the same Jack Kennedy hair cut, dashing smile and eyes. But when his eyes wandered to the other details, they didn't fit.

It wasn't his father at all.

He just looked like him.

He didn't know whether to laugh, scream or cry. So he ended up doing all three.

"What the hell!" he screamed as bitter, angry tears dropped down his cheeks. "Why the freakin' fuck did you choose a copy of dad? Why?!"

Michael shuffled awkwardly while he screamed and cried. His mom on the other hand, tried to soothe him by hugging him and telling him to calm down. But he couldn't hear or feel a thing. He was too shocked. By time he calmed down, he realised a group of people in the park were watching like an audience at a freak show.

Needles to say, he didn't stay and have a picnic with them. He went home straight after. He couldn't remember what he did back at his apartment but most likely sat, staring off to space, his mind whirling with the word, why, why, why?

And how?

How was it possible for his mom to find someone who looked so much like his father? It was one in a million.

Once he woke up in the morning after a restless sleep, he had to cope with the fact his nightmare was real.

"Hey, how did the meeting with your moms's boyfriend go?" Doug asked as soon as he began his day's work.

He let out a groan and put his head in his hands.

"Uh... not well I take it?" Doug asked. "What did you do man?"

"I didn't do nothing."

Doug said something else but he couldn't hear him. All he could hear, was _why_. Why did his mom fall in love with a faulty copy of his father's face by the name of Michael?

"I can't take it..."

"What happened?" Doug asked.

Instead of replying, he left his desk and took a trip to the bathroom. Doug called after him but he ignored him. When he got to the bathroom, he looked in the mirror. His eyes were welled up with tears. He could see a bit of his dad in his face too but he looked more like his mother. His father was also bigger; a foot taller and had muscular arms.

"Oh come on now, I need some answers!" Doug said loudly, at the same time he burst through the door.

When he turned to Doug, he gave him an answer without any words. It was in his eyes which were glistening with tears.

"Tom?" Doug spoke softly in concern. "What's wrong?"

"My mom's boyfriend he... she..." He closed his eyes in despair. He didn't know how to say it. It sounded too crazy for anyone to understand.

Doug took him by the shoulders, bringing his own brown eyes back into view.

"He looks a lot like my father, Doug."

Discomfort and disbelief spread across his friend's face. "Are you sure you're not imagining it or..."

"He has the same eyes, smile, haircut and everything!" he insisted. He caught his breath before speaking again. "But okay, there are some differences but there's no denying she picked him because he looks like my dad!"

"That's terrible..." said Doug. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know... I really don't know."

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His mom called him later at work. He felt like hanging up but she sounded erratic on the other side, telling him to listen to her.

 _"I'm sorry Tommy, I tired to warn you,"_ she said. _"But he got back too soon!"_

"But mom, how could you do this to me?" he said angrily. "How could you do this to dad? How could you - "

 _"I'm sorry Tommy. It's just, I felt so lucky to find someone who looks like my husband. Don't you think how amazing the resemblance is?"_

"No, I think it's sick!"

 _"It's not sick. I love the person he is inside despite the coincidence."_

"Oh really, and how does he feel about looking like your dead husband?"

She paused. _"He thought it was strange at first and almost broke up with me. But he's in the process of accepting it now. He said as long as we love each other, nothing else matters."_

"Then you're both sick."

That was his last words before he slammed down the phone.

Doug listened to the whole thing since their desks were close together and looked sympathetic.

"I feel really bad for you..." he said softly. "Have you still decided what to do?"

He did and that decision was going to break hearts. He decided he was going to avoid seeing his mother because he couldn't take it. It hurt too much. He couldn't ever imagine accepting Michael into his life. He got shivers just thinking about it; if he ever said, hey kiddo, hey sport, and ruffle his hair like his father always did.

But it wasn't easy. Even though his mother hurt him with her sick game, he still loved her. She's the only family he got and besides Doug, the only one who really understood him.

His mother kept calling day by day but he always hung up.

"Come on man, you can't just cut your mother off like that," said Doug.

"I can't deal with this right now. I'm working on a new case next week and I can't let my personal life get in the way of it."

"Even so, it's your mother!"

"I can't do it Doug, I can't face this fraudster boyfriend of hers!"

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He tried to hold her off as long as he could, stretching past two months until he felt the little boy inside of him begin to miss his mother. He called her up and they planned to meet - just the two of them.

He met her in a coffee shop after work. She almost cried when she saw him and wrapped him into a hug. He gingerly returned it with a path on her arm then pulled away.

"I just wanted to see you again...because I missed you."

"I missed you too sweetie," his mom said tearfully. "So much, it hurt."

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't get my head round what you did," he said. "And I still can't."

"I didn't mean to hurt you - or Michael for that matter," she said. "The fact Michael looks like your dad sealed a hole over my heart but what makes it stick, is the person he is inside. He really is a wonderful guy - looks aside."

He shook his head in disbelief.

"Once you get to know him, you'll understand."

"I don't know if I can," he admitted. "It would be weird seeing him in all the same places where my dad once stood. It would be weird seeing him at our house and in dad's chair. And you know what I fear? I fear any photos of him would get mixed up with photos of dad."

"It won't happen. It'll be separated."

"I just wanted to see you... that's it."

"I know but I have a feeling we'll be together for a long time and if we ever get married..."

He made a face. "Just no. Just don't even go there."

"I meant if ever..."

"No one can ever replace dad!" he said angrily. "No one."


	2. Chapter 2

**And this is the last chapter to this story. Could've done more but never mind :)**

He managed to see his mom over the next three months leading to Christmas without seeing the Michael guy once. Unfortunately, he saw her less than he hoped because they now lived together much to his disapproval.

On Christmas eve, everyone at Jump Street got together and threw a Christmas party. It was a lot of fun because Sal dressed up as Santa, there were presents and plenty of food and drink. They were allowed to invite their friends and family over so his first choice was his mom. He didn't feel the need to tell her not to bring Michael because he was sure she wouldn't.

But he was wrong.

Through the crowd, he saw his mom was linked together with Michael. Suddenly the eggnog he consumed earlier, churned in his stomach. The copy of his father was wearing a red Christmas jumper with reindeer's on the top and bottom. It was his dad's and he used to wear it every year.

He thought back a memory. He was eight years old and it was Christmas day.

 _"Not that jumper again dad!" he whined._

 _His dad looked down at his jumper. "Oh come on, don't you like the little reindeer's?"_

 _"No, it's embarrassing."_

 _His mom walked in the living room just in time to scold him. "Your dad can wear what he wants Tommy."_

 _"Yeah, I can wear what I want," his dad echoed back childishly._

 _He shook his head and smiled. He liked the jumper really. It was one of the many wear times he seen his dad out of uniform and it suited him._

When he thought back, he realized the true meaning behind the long chain of reindeer's... they were family.

His eyes prickled with bitter tears.

 _How could she give one of his dad's favorite jumper to him?_

 _How could she be so sick?_

He lost sight of them when the crowd merged together, giving him the opportunity to escape into the locker room upstairs. He hid away for a long while until Judy came up.

"What are you doing up here all on your own?" she asked.

"I needed some peace."

She shot him a worried look before proceeding to get something from her locker.

"I went up here to get my presents and since you're here now, you might as well have yours."

He retrieved a present from her. It was slightly heavy and was neatly wrapped in shiny red paper.

"You can open it now if you want."

In silence, he tore at the paper and underneath, it revealed a score book for professional bowlers. He let out a dry chuckle. "Thanks Jude."

She looked disappointed. "I was hoping for a better reaction than that."

"Sorry Jude its just...If you ever wondered what my dad looks like, just look at my mom's boyfriend," he said. "She brought him along at the Christmas party."

She nodded. "Doug told me about that."

"What the hell am I supposed to do Jude? Its like a nightmare I cannot wake up from."

She sat next to him. "Maybe it's possible they love each other?"

"Or they are both taking an advantage of each other," he remarked. "It isn't normal to for her to slip him into one of my dad's favorite Christmas jumper."

"Are you sure its the same one?"

"I know all of my dad's stuff Jude. I've been through his stuff thousands of times before because I miss him so much."

Judy saw he was close to tears so tried to comfort him by putting her arm around his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

She stayed to comfort him until she become restless and bored. "Would you like to return to the party?"

"I'm quite happy sitting up here thanks."

He ended up staying there for a good few hours. He would've gone insane from boredom but thankfully, Judy kept popping in to visit him, slipping him drinks and food. Doug, Sal and Harry visited him as well.

"So, what do you think of my dads's lookalike?" he asked Doug and Harry sarcastically.

They shuffled their feet awkwardly, not knowing how to answer.

"You mom is wondering where you are," Doug said to break the silence.

"Tell her I gone home," he said. "Also, you can tell her I hate her."

"You don't mean that..." said Doug.

"Yes I do."

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He was so mad, he refused to see his mom on Christmas Day. He never spent Christmas alone before because he always spent it with her. He didn't want to see Michael who would most likely be there. And he didn't want to see him wearing his dad's jumper again either.

He didn't do much on Christmas day. He had a pizza, beer and watched bittersweet Christmas movies on his TV set.

After watching the fourth soppy movie, he picked up a framed picture of him and his dad. It was his favorite picture and the only one he had. But one was enough because that particular picture gave off a strong memory. They were in a local park and he was nine years old. His father was in uniform as always and showed him how to play baseball. He hated baseball but he remembered thinking that day was perfect. It was one of the hottest days on record and he remembered getting four ice creams in the park. One other thing his father showed him, was bowling and it stuck with him to this day.

He played bowling every Saturday with his league and was pretty good. But it still didn't stop his partners, particularly Doug from making fun of him.

 _"When this kid learned his father was a bowler, he was three. He ran away from home... his mother helped him!"_ He remembered Doug joked.

Suddenly, his first phone call of the day rung. He knew it was his mother but couldn't resist avoiding it.

 _"Where are you Tommy?"_ his mom asked.

"Home," he replied icily.

 _"Aren't you coming over?"_

"No mom - I'm mad at you because I saw you and Michael at the Christmas eve party yesterday and he was wearing dad's favorite Christmas jumper!"

 _"I'm sorry Tommy but Michael didn't have anything festive to wear so I lent it to him."_

"And he just accepted it?"

 _"Well, he was hesitant of course."_

"Unbelievable..."

 _"I just lent it to him!"_ his mom exasperated. _"Can't you just grow up and act your age?"_

"What makes you think anyone at any age, understand this? It's crazy, it's - "

 _"I know it's strange but I swear, I love him for the person he is."_

He scoffed. "You still shouldn't have put him into my dad's old jumper!"

 _"Listen Tommy, the only way you can understand this, is by accepting it. Just try and get to know him. He wants to know you too so I thought you could go bowling together"_

"Oh, he's a bowler like dad too?!"

 _"No, it was me who suggested bowling!"_

"Thanks but no thanks."

 _"Can you just give it a shot, Tommy please?"_ his mom pleaded. _"You can always leave if you feel uncomfortable."_

He couldn't imagine spending five minutes with the guy. But his mom kept pleading and persuading him until eventually he gave in.

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His heart palpitated when he saw a familiar face walking towards him from afar. But the closer the face got, the closer he was able to distinguish that the face belonged to a stranger. It was Michael... not his dad.

He couldn't help but wish he could remind that moment. Up to the point where he really thought his father came back. He really thought his dad was going to play a game of bowling with him like many times before.

But then he realized, it was exactly what his mother was doing. Knowing that made him feel shameful.

Michael didn't speak and almost looked afraid. But no wonder because he screamed and cried at him the first time they met. He felt like freaking out again in fact but restrained from doing so because he was a regular at the bowling alley and didn't want to get thrown out.

"Hi."

He noticed Michael's voice sounded much deeper than his fathers. He edged away from discomfort when Michael sat down and looked at him through his deep set eyes.

"I'm sorry our first introduction didn't go very well."

He snapped out of his daze and become angry. "What are you playing at?" he exasperated. "My mom's dating you because you look like her dead husband and you accept that?"

Michael shook his head. "No, you're wrong. We love each other despite the odd coincidence. I admit I couldn't get my head round it at first and neither could she. But we made it work."

"But how could you wear my dad's jumper?"

Michael paused for a few seconds. "I only wore that jumper once and just because I couldn't find anything remotely festive to wear."

"But still, how could you accept it?"

"I'm sorry... she said it was ok."

"And why do you think she suggested bowling?"

"She told me it's one of your favorite things to do."

"It is," he replied. "But did she also tell you my dad used to take me bowling?"

He didn't know whether it was his imagination but he was sure he seen him turn pale.

"I guess that'll be all," he said before he rose to his feet.

"Wait - don't you want to have a game?"

"Why?"

"Why not? I'd like to have a go and it was quite a long drive getting here."

"Just one."

During their game, he couldn't help but take sneaky glances at him now and again. Sometimes he would feel the once burn out flame flicker to life and think, _my dad had risen from the grave_. Even though his mom feels the same thing, there was no rationality up there that said. it's wrong. There's only one Tom Hanson SR and no one could ever replace him.

"Let me ask you something," he began, before selecting a ball for his third go. "Did my mother ever accidentally called you by my father's name?"

Michael thought for a minute. "Once or twice in the beginning of our relationship. But as I said before, we worked it out."

"Does she talk about my dad a lot?"

"Only sometimes when she gets sad."

He knew about her sad moments all too well. It was grief and sometimes it hit her so hard, she would just lie in bed and cry. It used to be much more frequent and sometimes it got so bad, he almost had to give up everything to look after her. His college classes, his friends...

He aimed the ball towards the pins but to his annoyance, it didn't hit _one_. But he wasn't alone because Michael was terrible at bowling as well and only succeeded knocking down four pins tops.

"Did your mom tell you how we met?"

"No."

 _Because I don't care._

Michael told him anyway. "She came into my bookstore to have a browse. I was attracted to her even before she laid eyes on me. When she went up to me to make a purchase, she reacted as though she had seen a ghost."

"I don't blame her because she probably thought you were."

"True... And all the while, I was puzzled and couldn't get her out of my head. She visited my shop the next day and that's when I asked her out for a date," said Michael. "Up to that point, it didn't matter that I happened to look similar to her husband. I love your mother."

What Michael said to him was an eye opener and got him thinking, maybe, just maybe there was real love between there. And maybe the fact that Michael looked like his father didn't really matter to her.

But to him, it was a different story. He didn't think he could ever get over the similarities. Fortunately, he could see himself getting to know the Michael guy in the inside because he could tell he was a good person so far, and to his mother as well.

"Are you going to marry her?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Michael replied. "We're taking it nice and slow. And if you like, we could get to know each other better."

"...okay."

Michael perked up. "That's great. We should have another game then, shouldn't we?"

They had another game and gradually his scores become better because he felt things weren't as bad as it seemed.

And if his mom was happy, then why should the other stuff matter?


End file.
